Kristi Yamaguchi & Friends 2009

My trip to Phoenix was great. I went to see the Kristi Yamaguchi & Friends event for 2009. Little to my knowledge, the kids of the figure skaters did not take part in the show. I was very disappointed in Kristi for not letting us know, because for the past 7 years (I believe), the kids have been included in every aspect of the show's program. It seemed like a really cheesy, televised event. Not so much a family show anymore.

I loved Katia Gordeeva's new program "Halo". That was a song I had used for a montage in dedication to her late husband Sergei for his death anniversary last November, and is a personal favorite. Even though her daughters Daria and Liza didn't skate with her, Liza was watching contently from the side, and giving her mom soft hugs. She was adorable!

To my knowledge, Katia's husband Ilia Kulik was backstage fixing Michael Weiss' skate when it fell apart, but didn't skate in the event.

My favorite program was Yuka Sato's "1000 Miles", by Jewel.

After the show, they had to do retakes. Basically, all their money is made off of the televised program, not the tickets sold for the event. So we stayed to support them in making it a flawless sequence. It was a treat seeing Katia again, and finally seeing Kurt Browning in person.

I thought the way the crowd reacted to the skaters in spite of the live musical guests The Backstreet Boys was insanely disrespectful. Michael Weiss' skate malfunctioned as I mentioned before, and in the meanwhile, the crowd just kept chanting "BSB, BSB!" I was younger than many of these crowd members, and I'm pretty sure most of them were all older than Daria (17).

A couple rows of the audience were standing up to record video of "the boys", and didn't even let three rows behind them see Katia skate. It was pathetic. At times you could hardly hear the music, their screams were so loud. This isn't a concert, sweetheart!

At least I had a good time, despite my ranting.

Here are some videos I took from the event:
Halo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4whkBtnuDYg
All I Have to Give: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUOw1AH9SMw
Retakes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iyx9Qbz_uWM

Under the Weather

For the past week, I've been in bed resting up. No school. No friends. No fun. Just.. sick.

My temperature went from 99.7 to 100.8, from 101.4 to 88.7. Thankfully I'm recovering and I'm going to return to school next Monday.

I felt like I could die. Thank God I didn't!

Adventure Day #1 : Ivy Pulling

\Volunteer work has begun!

My school has a rule of completing 75 hours of community service in order to graduate high school. Me, Mali and Shelby had a fun time at the watershed pulling ivy for 3 whole hours!

72 more to go. Cmonnnnn credits!

Globetrotters

Okay, so it wasn't sight-seeing the GLOBE, but my class went on a city tour yesterday for what we call "Adventure Day". Adventure Day happens about once every 3-4 months with new activities.

Even though my friends and I were on our phones most of the time, I did happen to learn some enriching things about my city that I didn't know before.

My friend Amber brought her $300+ camera and we took some great photographs.

Color Yourself

Today I found this inspiring video made by the lovely Mr. Danny Noriega. Lately I've been rushing around, trying to find somebody to call my own. I needed some severe pep-talk to bring me back to Earth, and this might just have been it. I'm 15, I have time. Tell yourself the same.

Picture Perfect Education

With school beginning to pile up the homework, I haven't been able to get on the computer and blog much. Orientation was very easy, but it was drug out for a while. I was the 4th out of 50 to complete it, which I'm of course proud of. I finished orientation with straight A's, and hope to keep that up with my new classes! I'm taking Web Design, Algebra 1, and World History.

Washington State changed their assessment test "WASL" (sounds like "wass-ell") to the "HSPE" ( sounds like "hesspa"). People frowned upon the WASL immensely. I didn't mind it, but I didn't enjoy it. I was about 8 years old when I took the WASL for the first time, and the HSPE assessment this year will decide if I graduate high school or not. I'm nervous, but I'll be taking a HSPE Prep Theme Class in February to get myself ready. I did Pre-Algebra last year for Math, earning only elective credits. The HSPE expects you to already be done with Algebra 1 & 2, and be in Geometry.

Computer Lab had a hard toss-up between web design, digital photography (and video), and podcasting. There's a little bit of each in web design, so I figured I'd go with that and do the others next.

History is really nice and smooth so far, reading 6 chapters out of a huge textbook seems stressful, but easy when it comes down to it. After I finish both World History courses, I'm moving on to Psychology. I plan on taking some College courses at a local community College for my last two years in high school, then moving on to Western Washington University (or some place like it) for my next two. I'll most likely major in Psychology or Journalism. Might want both, who knows!

I'm excited I did this. This is the program for me 110%. It is a great new joy I've found in my life.